CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT KISSES RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. Place a greased 9-in. springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Wrap foil securely around pan. In a small bowl, mix cookie crumbs and sugar; stir in butter. Press onto bottom of prepared pan. In a microwave, melt chocolate chips; stir until smooth and cool slightly. Repeat with white baking chips., In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in sour cream, flour and extract. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until blended. Remove 2 cups batter to a small bowl; stir in cooled chocolate chips until blended. Pour over crust. Stir peppermint chips and cooled white chips into remaining batter; gently spoon over chocolate layer. Place springform pan in a larger baking pan; add 1 in. of hot water to larger pan., Bake until center is just set and top appears dull, 75-85 minutes. Remove springform pan from water bath. Cool cheesecake on a wire rack 10 minutes. Loosen sides from pan with a knife; remove foil. Cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight, covering when completely cooled. , Remove rim from pan. For ganache, place chocolate in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Pour over chocolate; stir with a whisk until smooth. Let stand 3 minutes. Spread over cheesecake. If desired, garnish with whipped cream and additional peppermint crunch baking chips or kisses.

Steps:

• Crush the candy canes (if they aren’t already crushed). Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Melt the milk (or dark) chocolate in a heat-safe bowl in the microwave using 30-40 second intervals, stirring after each one. Two or three rounds in the microwave should be sufficient. Spread the chocolate out on the parchment in a thin, even layer. Using a large, offset spatula works well, if you have one. Put the pan in a cool place for about 10 minutes or until the chocolate is completely firm, either in the refrigerator or outside, if it’s chilly. Meanwhile, melt the white chocolate the same way, using 30-40 second intervals and stirring after each. Stir in the peppermint essential oil.
  Spread the white chocolate over the milk chocolate quickly and then sprinkle the crushed candy canes over the top. You’ll want to do these steps quickly because the cooled milk chocolate will make the white chocolate firm up quickly. You’ll want the white chocolate wet when you put the crushed candy canes on it so they’ll stick better. Let the white chocolate firm up completely (you can put the pan back in the fridge if you like) and then break it up into big pieces. The bark is ready to eat immediately or you can package it up to give away. Store it in a covered container and keep it away from heat.